Security devices are becoming commonplace in today's market place and are regularly used for preventing theft of consumer products ranging from food stuffs, to apparel and accessories. While retailers have adopted the use of such devices to curtail shoplifting, privacy concerns have arisen which has created a need to deactivate the security device and prevent the device from setting off an alarm after the article of commerce has been the subject of a bona fide purchase.
There are multiple types of security devices currently in use today for preventing the theft of consumer goods. These include electronic article security/surveillance (“EAS”) devices which may have a resonating member, such as a magnet to radio frequency (“RE”) devices which are read or activated through the receipt of a radio signal at a particular frequency.
Exemplary prior art devices have been created in which a portion of the security tag is severed or removed from the remainder of the device so as to render the device inoperable. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,876,555 provides a hole or perforation in the circuit assembly as a method of short circuiting the device. Swiss patent 656,472 provides a perforation line through a security device circuit such that when the security device is torn along the line of perforation, a portion of the circuit is removed from the device the operating frequency of the device is changed, however, the device may still be detected at another frequency. U.S. Pat. No. 5,574,431 provides a line of perforation through a portion of the circuit such that when stress is applied, the circuit breaks. U.S. Pat. No. 7,375,635 is illustrative of a tear strip that is used to remove a portion of a security device by pulling and removing the tear strip. Other devices, such as Australian patent 696,391 provide a first and second portion, in which the entire security portion is removed from the first portion and discarded.
Security devices that are integrated with an article of commerce, historically have been a “sewn in” type of tag, one in which during the manufacture of an apparel item, a security tag is sewn or otherwise physically attached to the apparel item, suffer from various drawbacks in that the tag may be inoperable by the time the apparel item is completed due to the subsequent processing steps. For examples, “stone washed” jeans undergo a washing process to create the particular look and feel to the jeans. This process however, destroys the security tag that has been affixed to the jeans during the manufacturing process. Other processing or treatment steps that may be used in creating or finishing a garment or apparel item can also cause the tag to be destroyed.
Another problem that is present in today's security tag situations includes those integrated tags which are not rendered inoperable at the point of purchase and are still functioning after the consumer leaves the retail location with the garment or other apparel item. If the item is a garment, and the consumer begins wearing the garment and visits a retail establishment with a security system, the garment with the still active security device can activate the security system causing unwanted embarrassment to the consumer.
While many of the foregoing solutions are effective for their intended purpose, a more flexible solution is needed particularly where multiple or different types of security devices may be needed or used by a retailer at a particular location. In addition, a device is required which can provide the security necessary for retailers yet protect the privacy of the individual after the item has been purchased by a consumer.